Keep the Change
by
ApologetiX THIS REVIEW IS ADAPTED FROM A REVIEW I POSTED ON MY WEBSITE. TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF APOLOGETIX'S ALBUMS FROM 1997 TO 2007,
Loaded Songs with 45s | Posted May-26-2016 THIS REVIEW IS ADAPTED FROM A REVIEW I POSTED ON MY WEBSITE. TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF APOLOGETIX'S ALBUMS OF 2014, CLICK HERE!
Starting in 2014, ApologetiX, That Christian Parody Band, started bi-weekly singles to give fans more songs and they thought it would be a great idea to help them with their financial problems. Do the math: they released 46 songs in single format in 2014 and six additional songs in Apoplectic! That’s fifty-two songs in one year! (They released another ton in 2015, and are doing it this year!)
Loaded 45s was pretty cool, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as Singles Group. There are parts I liked better in Loaded 45s than singles group, and vise versa. Some songs on here I don’t like as much, and in the “Old Man / Fearful” single, they bring out the brass instruments, which I’m not a fan of.
With them recording in their drummer’s new studio, Red Apple Audio Workshop, the quality starts to tie “Wordplay” and sounds amazing (and it gets better as time progresses). They might also blow you away how well they are able to mimic the original songs!
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist, has worked hard writing these parodies and singing for this album; round of applause! You can hear his daughter, Janna, singing on “Hit ‘Em With Your Slingshot” and Elaine Heitzer and Keely Singer each have a track on the “You’re So Plain / These Streams” single.
In addition, Tom Tincha, Keith Haynie, Jimmy “Vegas” Tanner, and Chris VonBartheld, the touring members, play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards respectively. Other guest artists (none you may recognize, though) drop in to play various instruments, including the banjo and the brass instruments.
My only real problem while listening to this album (except my bias on brass) would be that I think of the album as six parts, because I heard these songs as the singles individually before I heard the actual album as one (and the songs are in the exact same order as released as singles). It really is a group of singles and hard to think of so otherwise. The same deal occurs with “Singles Group,” “Unconditional Releases,” “Music Is As Music Does,” and “Play Nice.” I wish J. mixed up the order of the songs.
But I like the variety they show off here in this album; even if I don’t like brass, there’s pretty much a song for everyone! Besides, these songs are full of Loaded 45s, so they better be good! (Ya know, Isaiah 45 & Psalm 45.)
My favorite songs:
“We’re Not Goin’ To Canaan” (parody of “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister)
“Goodnews” (parody of “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins)
“Fly Like Ezekiel” (parody of “Fly Like An Eagle” by Steve Miller)
Singles In Unison | Posted May-24-2016 THIS REVIEW IS ADAPTED FROM A REVIEW I POSTED ON MY WEBSITE. TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF APOLOGETIX'S ALBUMS OF 2014, CLICK HERE!
Well, starting in 2014, ApologetiX, That Christian Parody Band, started bi-weekly singles to give fans more songs and they thought it would be a great idea to help them with their financial problems. Do the math: they released 46 songs in single format in 2014 and six additional songs in Apoplectic! That’s fifty-two songs in one year! (They released another ton in 2015, and are doing it this year!) I’m gonna go ahead and review the first album from this new system, “Singles Group.”
This album was full of fun! Hearing the story about Samson wanting his “Brush” (what?) is great, and you can join the disciples waiting for the Holy Spirit to come upon them on Pentecost, asking “Gimme Helper.” And you can cringe at “Jezebel” telling her story (in a similar format to “Sunset Boulevard,” which would be “Sunset Bowlawater” for Adventures In Odyssey fans). Needless to say, I just listed some of my favorite and least favorite tracks.
With them recording in their drummer’s new studio, Red Apple Audio Workshop, the quality starts to tie “Wordplay” and sounds amazing (and it gets better as time progresses). They might also blow you away how well they are able to mimic the original songs!
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist, has worked hard writing these parodies and singing for this album; round of applause! You can hear his daughter, Janna, singing on “Jezebel” and Keely Singer helps on the Rolling Stones parody, “Gimme Helper,” and does a great job!
You can hear Tom Tincha, Tom Milnes (the two being TNT), and Wayne Bartley’s guitar skills in these awesome songs. Tom Milnes does a little bass, as well as Keith Haynie and Jake Rieger. Jimmy “Vegas” Tanner, the drummer I mentioned above, bangs on them drums all 13 tracks, while the keyboards are shared among Chris VonBartheld, Bill Hubauer, and Todd Waites.
My only real problem while listening to this album would be that I think of the album as six parts, because I heard these songs as the singles individually before I heard the actual album as one (and the songs are in the exact same order as released as singles). It really is a group of singles and hard to think of so otherwise. The same deal occurs with “Loaded 45s,” “Unconditional Releases,” “Music Is As Music Does,” and “Play Nice.” I wish J. mixed up the order of the songs.
But this album does show the variety that this band plays, but it all is unified nicely as one album. (Remember Psalm 133:1?)
My favorite songs:
“Gimme Helper” (parody of “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones)
“Brush” (parody of “Tush” by ZZ Top)
“Calling Dr. Luke” (parody of “Calling Dr. Love” by KISS) (But I prefer the single version over the album version.)
I will be posting this review of “Singles Group” and the other 2014 albums of ApologetiX on my website on Friday. In addition, I will be giving away some things, so stay tuned!
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